Moments with members
Each month we profile one of our members and ask them a bunch of interesting questions to gain insight into the world of events. We find out what their scariest moments were, through to the best events they have ever attended. They also share some advice for newcomers to the industry.
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Moments with Helene Nicholson, of Nduro Group
What was the best event you have ever attended? I was on a Contiki in 2019 and on our day in Vienna the Vienna Pride festival was on, there was a parade that ran all afternoon with a music festival in the evening. It felt like the whole city was involved, the colours, sparkles, glitter, music, and atmosphere were amazing and anyone could join in.
What is the highlight of your events career to date? It would have to be the first event I did with Nduro Events which was the Whaka100, I joined the team early 2022 after their postponements and cancellation due to covid. The 2022 Whaka100 was reborn and came back bigger than ever. For my first mass participation event there were four different sites, over 2,500 riders and I loved every second of it. Definitely fell in love with mass participation events after that.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional? Being fairly new to the scene I haven’t had one yet but definitely witnessing the force of the weather and how quickly it can change is a learning in itself. Never underestimate the weather and always be prepared for all conditions.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event? To attend was London’s West End. To work I haven’t had the opportunity yet to leave NZ’s shores.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry? Surround yourself with people who can mentor you and want you to succeed. Take every opportunity to learn from them, make those connections in the industry and volunteer at different events to find what you enjoy doing.
Moments with Viola Ember of NZ Art Promotions
What was the best event you have ever attended? I love events - it's so hard to pick a favourite! Large scale community events and festivals such as The Auckland Lantern Festival, or Balloons Over Waikato hold a special place in my heart. The ability to positively connect with thousands of people from all walks of life is one of the reasons I became an events professional - and I have the pleasure of doing so every day in my work with NZ Art Promotions.
What is the highlight of your events career to date? Producing and directing my own show at The Herald Theatre in the Aotea Centre back in 2022! Theatre and performing arts are often not immediately linked to the events industry - and yet they are just as much an event as any other artistic, immersive experience I've produced. Building up a successful production from scratch right on the back of COVID was equally the biggest challenge, and biggest highlight of my career to date. With shoestring budgets, a tight timeline and 30+ cast and crew making the original script come to life, this event taught me that if you can dream it, it can happen!
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional? I am only about five years into my events career, and thankfully have not had to face any particularly frightening situation yet - but the scariest moments are always the ones outside of our control. It's someone unexpectedly getting sick, or extreme weather forecasts, or even the country going into lockdown! I've found that creativity, and the ability to pivot and adapt quickly has often been to my advantage in these situations.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event? I have not had the opportunity to travel too far from Aotearoa for events yet - but have my eye on The Edinburgh Festival Fringe in the near future!
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry? Volunteering for events, particularly smaller ones where you may be tasked with more responsibilities, are some of the best ways to learn and establish yourself in the industry! I started my journey at NZ Art Promotions by volunteering for their flagship event, Art in the Park - and from there grew into working with them full time.
Moments with Andy Gollings, of Red Badge Group
What was the best event you have ever attended?
I was lucky to get to Glastonbury a few years back, to work alongside the crowd managers. The complexity of that event, the attention to detail and the way it has evolved and keeps changing were all quite remarkable.
What is the highlight of your events career to date?
That’s a hard one. We have been involved in all manner of events across the country and every different types has a highlight. It’s hard to go past some of the big concerts though. Harry Styles, Go Media Stadium, had the nicest, most appreciative crowd ever and Ed Sheeran in at Sky Stadium was the largest ever concert in that stadium were everything just seemed to work so well.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional?
The opening night of RWC 2011. It seemed like all of NZ wanted to get in the country’s largest pub, as John Key described Queens Wharf. After a crowd crush and nearly going for a swim I learned that most things can be fixed by a helpful skirmish line of team policing officers.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event?
The United Kingdom and France for RWC 2007 as we wanted to see what we had ahead of us for 2011.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry?
Put your hand up for opportunity. I have been fortunate to experience a wide variety of event and venue types. Each one is different and the range of experiences and the network you build make you stronger as an event professional.
Moments with Adam Leslie of 212F
What was the best event you have ever organised?
That’s a very difficult question to be honest as in more than 20 years running events, I have now managed over 500 corporate events. One that will always stick in my mind though was organising an 8 city/ 8 week roadshow in the UK (England Ireland, Scotland and Wales for the BBC. This was a travelling exhibition for the BBC’s Natural History Unit based on the Life of Mammals TV documentary series and I was based in the Bristol office of the Natural History Unit for a number of months putting it all together. The official launch of the roadshow was at the Natural History Museum in London by David Attenborough and in total was attended by more than 30,000 people across the 8 weeks. One of the best parts was setting up the exhibition in the various museums around the country and as it could only be done after they closed, we were often packing in until midnight and beyond. It was literally like “night at the museum’ working around dinosaur fossils and Egyptian mummies and I loved every bit of it!
What is the highlight of your events career to date?
I actually have two and for very different reasons. The first was when I hired Alcatraz island for a corporate dinner and it truly was an amazing experience having sole use of such an iconic US institution. At the time we even had a guest speaker who was the last surviving prison guard that ever served there, and he had the most incredible stories having prisoners under his watch like Machine Gun Kelly, the Birdman of Alcatraz and even Al Capone. I got on so well with the Park Rangers who run Alcatraz who invited me to participate in their ‘unofficial’ initiation whilst my guests were enjoying their dinner. I was sworn to secrecy, but next time you look at a picture of Alcatraz, take a look at the lighthouse and imagine yourself standing on the roof…there is actually a kiwi that is likely the only one that has ever done it 😉
The second was a charity baseball game I organised with the NYPD in Central Park in New York. This was an event that the DMC at the time said was impossible to do, but it was an idea I had had for years, and I was determined to make it work. Long story short it definitely did happen, and we donated US $10,000 to the Widows and Orphans of 911, so I am immensely proud of it. Fast forward more than a decade later and I am doing another charity event in NYC next week, which is a ‘BBQ in the Bronx’ and again is an idea of have in my head for more than a decade. I truly believe that there is always an opportunity to give back to the communities we visit, make a difference and leave a little bit of a NZ legacy behind.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional?
Sadly this isn’t a very happy story, as the very first event I ever managed on my own, one of the delegates had a heart attack and died right in the middle of the Q&A session. You can go your entire career and never have anything like this happen, but to have it happen right at the start was quite a shock. What I learnt however, was that there are simply some things that happen that you cannot control, and what sets you apart is how you deal with it. If you can put your hand on your heart and say you did everything you could, then that’s all that anyone can ask of you.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event?
I have actually run events in 15 different countries now, and I travel extensively in any given year, but a destination for me that was a little unusual and quite remote was the Chatham Islands. At the time I was working for a children’s charity and we wanted to do something for the kids there as I think there was less than 60 in total across the 3 schools . We took Ronald Macdonald over, repainted their playground and classrooms, gave away bikes and laptops and generally just spread some cheer into the local community. Famed for their Moriori culture we also learnt a lot in return and came away much more enriched for the experience.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry?
Don’t be in it for the glamour - events are hard hard work, involve long hours and you will be constantly tired. Your job is to keep the energy levels up even when yours are down, but they super rewarding if you can handle the pressure, the stress and the need to be constantly adaptable without showing any fear.
If you don’t ask you don’t get – the best events I have ever done, were they ones I was told you couldn’t do.
Relationships are king – look after your clients and they will be loyal to you forever. Look after your suppliers as they make you look good, and you are nothing without them.
Moments with Jared Ward, of Uno Loco
What was the best event you have ever attended?
Most recently I was blown away with World Pride at Sydney’s Mardi’s Gras. The variety of events across a two week period felt like it had been very thoughtfully curated. With so much variety, colour and a warm welcoming foray into my first Mardi Gras. Whatever you were interested in it delivered: From operas, to art galleries, to sporting events and of course mega parties with headline acts!
What is the highlight of your events career to date?
I’m always drawn to the projects I’ve worked on overseas. I love the challenge of working in international markets collaborating with new suppliers, forging strong working relationships with those partners and striving to deliver something your collectively proud of.
A standout would be producing an awards show for a New Zealand retailer in Chicago in 2018. Being a tight team on the ground gave me the opportunity to be involved in every aspect from original concept, design, scripting, theming, technical delivery and audience experience. Working with American crews and navigating around union regulations can be a challenge but also a great experience as you learn so much and the crews you work with are the best of the best. Of course working in America there is a power house of talent available at your fingertips too. We were able to work with some A class performers, actors, chorus dancers and phenomenal Broadway singers that dazzled our audience.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional?
We all strive for the perfect event, for flawless execution, seamless delivery and technical precision. But there are often things you learn as a producer that are out of your control! Its about working with the team to make quick decisions and do everything in your power to ensure the audience or attendees are oblivious to the things bubbling away in the background. Little things like, someone slipping off the back of a stage (unharmed) or the wrong piece of content being played at a pivotal moment spring to mind.
But the scariest moments have to be weather related when you’re at the mercy of the elements. We were producing a brand launch in Fiji for a few hundred people and made a call on the weather even using the local weather gurus (who are never wrong) to predict the evenings forecast. We were all set up with our marquees in place the guests started arriving to our immersive themed world . As the band starts kicking into their high energy set the weather dramatically turned with torrential rain and powerful winds driving straight into our stage. We had to shut the event down immediately and I distinctly remember trying to secure the front of the stage marquee, being absolutely smashed by wind and rain standing in a pool of water while people were ducking for cover. Unscathed it did create for a memorable event for the guests albeit not one we were anticipating. Contingency kicked in and the guests happily drank in the warmth of the hotel bar.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event?
I was fortunate enough to work on a large town hall event for IBM in India, Bangalore is India’s capital of tech which was the main location. I turned up to see a huge well-oiled machine of event professionals, technician’s, builders, creatives all supported by an army of local teams working hand in hand to get everything ready for the big day. I joined the 12,000 person event as a highlights film producer helping tell the colourful story of IBM India’s achievements via this big celebration. It was a long way from home physically but also culturally working alongside our Indian counterparts was eye opening and a beautiful experience to be part of.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry?
That’s easy, this industry is so varied there are so many different directions your career can take you. Its really about honing your skills, your areas of interest and mastering that craft. From technical, to logistics, to production management and design. There are a world of opportunities.
I also love how niche our world can be. Yes there are massive amazing public events that have huge amounts of attention and media coverage, but equally there are amazing smaller opportunities within the corporate sector, B2B events and customer experiences that people never hear about. This is where I feel there is loads of scope to challenge clients and ourselves with what can be delivered. Its where we can collectively flex our creative muscle and where I’ve fallen in love with this dynamic industry.
Moments with Scott Rice, Owner/Director of Quantum Events
What was the best event you have ever attended? Probably the Rugby World Cup games in 2011. The atmosphere, the fan trail, the in-game and after-match entertainment and being a proud Kiwi….oh and Oktoberfest in Germany!
What is the highlight of your events career to date? Developing and staging the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series for 17 years and which started as a single event on Takapuna Beach to now be an eight event National series.
Taking what was the Nutralife Surf Ski Series and turning it into the Beach Series in 2005 which still runs today.
Also, developing and staging Ocean Swim Fiji for the first time in 2018 and it becoming a sell-out event in 2023 post-COVID. We now run two per year.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional? Early in my career in one of the first Harbour Crossing events two things happened that still give me the shivers. The first was the large scaffolding finish arch way blowing over at the end of the event and landing on my mother! Luckily, she only received minor injuries. The other was when we completely overloaded a deck for a prize giving with 300 people and later was told by the building owner it could only hold a maximum of 150! We came away unscathed….but we were lucky, and it was all good learning. There was also a run away BBQ that nearly ran into a family with kids….and the rouge un pegged pop up marquee that blew down the beach….
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event? Oktoberfest in Germany. An epic experience that blew my mind. I want to travel back again when my kids have flown the coop!
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry? Build a big network/connections. These connections will help open doors and provide opportunities.
Offer your time for free or very little to gain experience with people that are doing well in the industry. Volunteering and offering your time often leads to part or full time event roles.
Be prepared to work hard and longer hours (at the start at least). Persevere and be strong. The journey isn’t always rosy. You need to knowhow to grit your teeth at times and push through.
The buzz from staging events is unmatched. All of the hard work is well worth it in the end (most of the time 😊
Moments with Aaron Carter, Owner/Director of Total Sport
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event? I think that’d have to be somewhere north of San Francisco. Around 10 years ago I turned 40, and decided it was worthy of a celebration, so I did some research and found an off-road marathon happening in an amazing spot north of San Fran, which I did (very slowly 😊).
Being a very keen golfer, I’d also seen that the US Open (1 of 4 major’s in the golf world) was taking place in San Fran, so I spent a few days at that. Another highlight on that trip was that my then 6-month old son, Toby, met Robin Williams at a local café – what an amazing guy he was!
What is the highlight of your events career to date? I consider myself to be really lucky and fortunate to have spent nearly 25 years in this industry, and there are many highlights (a few scary moments too…). I think if I had to distil it down to one or two overall highlights, it’d be the creation of a business that delivers so much positive impact to people (approx. 20,000 in a normal year). Getting people into stunning natural locations, to suck in the fresh air, challenge themselves and spend time with other like-minded people is for sure where the magic happens. I had no idea when this business was set up that this ‘stuff’ would and could be so important for people, probably even more so for people’s mental health/fitness than the physical benefits gained from this stuff these days. I’m also immensely proud that we’ve been able to actually create a legit business, and employ 8-10 people, who share the passion around the purpose of this business.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional? Gosh, there’s been quite a few, too many to mention here. One that pops into my mind is being at The DUAL event a few years ago. In those days we had professional childcare, which enabled parents to leave kids with us, so they could get out there and do their thing. This particular day, we had a girl, probably 6-7 years old, have an allergic reaction, so she was transported to our contracted medical providers on site. Her condition got to the point where we made the decision to call for a helicopter to transport her urgently to hospital. Keep in mind The DUAL happens on Motutapu and Rangitoto – two islands sitting side by side in Auckland’s beautiful Hauraki Gulf. We worked out that her Dad was doing the half marathon that day, and he’d not yet finished. I was tasked with waiting in the finish pen, and tracking him down when he finished, based on identifying his event race number as he crossed the finish line. The timing around what happened next was pretty surreal. Dad crossed the finish line as the Westpac helicopter was just flying away with his daughter on board. I approached Dad, who was understandably pretty euphoric having just finished a pretty tough, amazing half marathon. I think he thought I was coming in to congratulate him, and so he went in for a hug (I’m all about the hug). I had to very quickly kill his high and tell him that in that helicopter flying away was his daughter! From that point it was a massive scramble to get him off the island and to hospital to be with his daughter. I wasn’t a parent when this happened, and I am now, so it seems an even more scary story than it was when it happened (for me that is). The good news is that all worked out, the daughter was fine, and well looked after. At this particular event, we actually had two people helicoptered off the island, and neither were participants! You just never know what you’re going to get on event day.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry? I think it’d start with passion and purpose. By this I mean, taking the time to be clear about what you love, and what will motivate you to jump out of bed each morning. The events game and industry is hard, and massively rewarding if you’re in the right place. I’ve met with a lot of new grads, students and people looking to enter the industry over the years, and it doesn’t take long to work out whether people are suited to our sort of events. Some are and some are not, and that’s cool. The other piece of advice I’d offer is to get out there and network, meet people, volunteer, make yourself enthusiastically available. Because a lot of the recruitment that goes on happens within the networks we establish, a lot of the jobs don’t get advertised through the traditional platforms.
Moments with Ariki Tibble, Event Director of Crankworx Rotorua
In this new regular segment, we get to know our members a bit better! This month we're speaking with Ariki Tibble, Event Director of Crankworx Rotorua
What was the best event you have ever attended?
Michael Jackson's HIStory tour in AKL in 1996. It was my first concert ever. I got to miss a day of school and watch MJ moonwalk from atop the shoulders of my older brother. The details get hazier as time passes on but my feelings about it is a sharp as the day I experienced them.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event?
Whistler, Canada (for Crankworx Whistler)
What is the highlight of your events career to date?
Hopefully I haven’t had it yet. Once I have THE highlight, I think it will be time to move on. I will say though that there is something special about working within a team with a common purpose, and facing adversity together, which makes event life so special- and unlike any other area I’ve worked in. I think every time I get to see the team relax and breath out after delivering an event against the odds, that’s a highlight for sure.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional?
I remember when a person at one of our events had a bad accident and I received a call that their condition was deteriorating and that we should prepare for a worst-case scenario. Fortunately, their condition did not deteriorate, and they made a full recovery. But there were some moments in between where it didn’t look good, and where my thoughts were consumed with how the persons family would feel and what they would have to deal with - and it was a heart-breaking scenario that I’m so glad did not eventuate.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry?
Be prepared to let others score the goal off the back of your hard work. And surround yourself with others who have the same perspective.
Debate vigorously (and do not be afraid to call it how you see it). But:…be a team player always and concede graciously when a situation requires it.
Do not compromise on your own personal principles.
Take risks. Own your mistakes.
Personally, I also think its important for event organisers to proactively resist the urge to make an event about them. If people coming into the industry can keep their eyes set on optimising the experience for the end user, and making themselves as invisible as possible, then I think they will find themselves taking the kinds of steps that truly give an event longevity.
Moments with Pam Glaser, Founder & Managing Director of Crackerjack Events
What was the best event you have ever attended?
When I was working for Sun International in South Africa, we brought out Queen with Freddy Mercury to perform at the Sun City Superbowl. Freddy was electrifying. And after each of his performances, the VIP car was waiting to whip him off to Johannesburg to the clubs.
But sometimes it is the little events that stick with me. During a trip to Barcelona, we were wandering through a large piazza teeming with people, when we came across two retired opera singers in their 80s, singing the most beautiful aria together, in return for our few dollars in a hat.
What is the highlight of your events career to date? One that stands out is the delivery of a Victory Parade for Sir Peter Blake and Team New Zealand when they brought the America’s Cup home to New Zealand for the very first time. There were an insane amount of people, streamers, and red socks everywhere. And only a week to organise it.
Some events are very close to the heart. Every year we bring the Pink Ribbon Walk to three cities. And you realise soon that behind the participants smiles, someone is remembering someone who recently died of breast cancer.
The Big Sleepout event, where CEOs are sponsored to sleep rough to raise money for the homeless, was an exceptionally humbling event. A homeless girl described how easy it is to land up in the street, if only two or three things go wrong in your life.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional? At a Buskers Festival one year, a performer set himself on fire and in a second his entire head disappeared in flames. I rushed him to the hospital as he sat with his chin in an ice bucket, cursing himself for wearing a nylon shirt!
At a Santa Parade one year, a little boy lost his mum and handed himself in to our supervisor. “I am lost” was misheard as “I am a Lost Boy” (in the Peter Pan float) and he was whisked off, dressed in costume, taken to makeup, and promptly tossed on the Peter Pan float. Meanwhile mum and a couple of police were frantically running through the crowd trying to find him, just as the Peter Pan float came past, and the granny shouted “Look, there he is, performing in the parade.”
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry? The stuff that will go wrong is not what you feared could go wrong. It will be something totally unexpected, and when that happens you go “what the f…..” and jump into action. You will learn to handle anything, but never panic because there will be plenty of that around. As an events professional, your life will never be boring!
Moments with Carla Steed, Director of Cactus Events
What was the best event you have ever attended? It would be a toss up between Sydney’s Vivid because of the way the City embraces the event and how visually stunning it is; and La Tomatina in Buńol for the sheer craziness, simplicity and quite surreal experience of having squashed tomato cover almost every inch of my body.
What is the highlight of your events career to date? Back in December 2019 myself and my two equally mad business partners took a leap of faith and set up a new events and sponsorship business – like the rest of you, we faced significant challenges in the few years that followed. Somehow though we managed to grow by building a strong, resilient and incredible team and by developing robust client relationships based on trust, hard work and the right attitude. Our initial team of three has now grown to a team of 11, and we haven’t looked back – so doing it tough with our team, coming out the other side and getting to work alongside them every day is the highlight of my events career to date – and with a wild, hectic Summer of events ahead I can’t wait to get stuck in with them all by my side.
Can you share your scariest moment as an event professional? My brain-child was delivered Labour Weekend 2017 and it took blood, sweat and literal tears to get everything ready to open to the public (you all know how that feels!). Based on past events in the City and general engagement, we anticipated 30-50,000 attendees over the 4 evenings of this event….. So 120,000 was a complete shock! Thus creating the scariest moment of my career. As I stood looking out over the surrounding streets as tens of thousands of people started arriving on opening night I recall juggling so many thoughts. Would they enjoy it? Where did they all come from? Where on earth did they all park? Do we have enough toilets, food trucks, etc? What have I done!? I’m responsible for all these people – let’s do our H&S checks again!! As you can imagine, there were some congestion issues but by far the feedback was incredible and the community loved and embraced the event.
Where is the furthest you have travelled for an event? To attend an event it would be Buńol (near Valencia) for La Tomatina. To work at an event I haven’t left NZ shores yet, but who knows what amazing opportunities lie around the corner.
What advice would you give to new starters in the events industry?
Always work with reputable and reliable suppliers, crew and contractors - treat them well and they will be there when you need them most! They will one day save your bacon!
The skill and experience that exists within our industry’s community is mind-blowing - always be open to learning from others, ask for help or advice when you need and be generous with the help or advice you can give as well.
Gain experience in as many areas of our industry as you can (eg. business events, private functions, community/public events and larger ticketed festivals) as this will help you find you niche and passion. It also helps you learn variations to your skills making you a stronger event professional.